Probable Goalies
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Jose Theodore, Colorado Avalanche - Theodore is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Canucks, reports the Rocky Mountain News.
Marty Turco, Dallas Stars - Turco is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Wild, reports the Dallas Morning News.
Fredrik Norrena, Columbus Blue Jackets - Norrena is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Oilers, reports the Columbus Dispatch.
Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton Oilers - Roloson is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Blue Jackets, reports the Columbus Dispatch.
Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago Blackhawks - Khabibulin is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Predators, reports the Chicago Tribune.
Ed Belfour, Florida Panthers - Belfour is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Thrashers, reports the Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Kari Lehtonen, Atlanta Thrashers - Lehtonen is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Panthers, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders - DiPietro is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Penguins, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mike Dunham started the Islanders last game so it's almost a lock that DiPietro will be in net tonight against fellow first overall draft pick, Marc-Andre Fleury. They are the only two goalies in NHL history to be drafted first.
Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins - Fleury is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Islanders, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Joey MacDonald, Detroit Red Wings - MacDonald is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Sharks, reports the Detroit News. MacDonald has been scheduled for this start from a while back, but plans may have changed after last night's 3-0 win over the Wild. Dominik Hasek looked sharp and wasn't all that busy which may be all coach Mike Babcock needs to end his masterplan of not starting Hasek on back-to-back days. Babcock told the media that he'd talk to GM Ken Holland the other members of the coaching staff before deciding who will start.
Johan Holmqvist, Tampa Bay Lightning - Holmqvist is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Senators, reports the Tampa Tribune. Marc Denis won't even make the trip up north - not because of performance issues but rather he hasn't gotten his work visa renewed and as such, may have problems re-entering the United States. The Lightning have thus recalled Karri Ramo to serve as Holmqvist's backup.
Ray Emery, Ottawa Senators - Emery is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Lightning, reports the Ottawa Citizen.
Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins - Thomas is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Hurricanes, reports the Boston Globe. Coach Dave Lewis is leaning on sticking with Thomas but acknowledged that he'd like to start the recently recalled Hannu Toivonen in one of the two road games, "but that doesn't mean I will" were his exact words.
Cristobal Huet, Montreal Canadiens - Huet is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Maple Leafs, reports the Montreal Gazette. Huet is getting stronger as the season wears on and is providing ample support that his run late last season was no fluke. He's firmly entrenched as the team's #1 goalie so David Aebischer has been deemed pretty useless in fantasy leagues, except as a handcuff for Huet owners.
Andrew Raycroft, Toronto Maple Leafs - Raycroft is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Canadiens.
Dan Cloutier, Los Angeles Kings - Cloutier is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Ducks. He continued his horrendous season on Thursday night by allowing three goals on the first five shots he faced, giving him a grand total of nine saves over the last 17 shots - for a .529 save percentage. Obviously that isn't going to cut it but it appears the Kings will stick with him and hope that he comes out of his slump - at least until Mathieu Garon is able to return from a groin injury. Coach Marc Crawford made it clear that the Kings were not looking at Jason LaBarbera as an option as they don't want to risk putting him through re-entry waivers.
Ilya Bryzgalov, Anaheim Ducks - Bryzgalov is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Kings. These same two teams play again tomorrow so it's very likely that Bryzgalov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere will split the starts. The only problem is we're not sure which goalie will play tonight and which will play tomorrow. Saturday's game is an early start so check back for any possible updates.
Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes - Ward is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Bruins.
Vesa Toskala, San Jose Sharks - Toskala is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Red Wings. It's his turn in the rotation with Evgeni Nabokov.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils - Brodeur is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Flyers. There's been no hint of a start by Scott Clemmensen tonight so we're going to change our earlier prediction and list Brodeur as the projected starter. Check back for possible changes.
Antero Niittymaki, Philadelphia Flyers - Niittymaki is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Devils.
Chris Mason, Nashville Predators - Mason is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Blue Jackets.
Manny Fernandez, Minnesota Wild - Fernandez is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Stars. It's the second half of a back-to-back set for the Wild so it's very possible that Niklas Backstrom could get the start instead. However, Fernandez has started the last 15 games against the Stars - his former team.
Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals - Kolzig is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Sabres.
Martin Biron, Buffalo Sabres - Biron is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Capitals.
Roberto Luongo, Vancouver Canucks - Luongo is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Avalanche.
Year-to-date: 692 / 754 = 91.8%
Player News
Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators - Redden will miss Saturday's game against the Lighting due to a chest/shoulder injury, reports the Ottawa Citizen. It's safe to assume that Redden won't be accompanying the team on next week's road trip for games against the Islanders on Tuesday and the Capitals on Wednesday so it's advised to remove him from all fantasy lineups immediately. One of the NHL's top defenseman entering this season, Redden has experienced a nightmare of a season mainly due to his inability to stay healthy.
Jonathan Cheechoo, San Jose Sharks - The Sharks are hoping to get Cheechoo back in the lineup after he missed six games because of an injured left leg, reports the San Jose Mercury News. He participated in his first full-fledged practice Friday and if the leg doesn't flare up overnight, Cheechoo should get the green light after today's morning skate. Get him back into your lineup as quickly as possible.
Jordan Leopold, Colorado Avalanche - Leopold will finally make his season debut tonight against the Canucks, reports the Rocky Mountain News. He has been sidelined due to surgery to fix a sports hernia that has taken longer to recover from than originally anticipated but should be a good fit with the Avs. If you need a defenseman in fantasy leagues, keep your eye on him as he has a lot of untapped offensive potential that could come to the forefront when playing for a team like Colorado.
Saturday`s streaking starting goaltenders
Associated Press
Sat, Dec 2, 2006
Information used from Associated Press NHL previews
Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings Total: 5 1/2
Since allowing a combined nine goals in back-to-back games, Jean-Sebastien Giguere has surrendered seven in his past five starts. The Ducks have failed to get a point in only one of his 20 starts this season.
Dan Cloutier`s dismal season continued as he surrendered three goals on five shots in less than 10 minutes before he was replaced by Barry Brust, who made 24 saves in his NHL debut. Cloutier`s 3.85 goals-against average is the league`s worst.
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning Total: 6 1/2
Ray Emery is 9-4-0 and ranks among the NHL leaders with a 2.09 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. He has been even better at home, allowing only seven goals during a personal five-game win streak there.
San Jose Sharks at Detroit Red Wings Total: 5 1/2
Vesa Toskala likely will be in net for this game. A native of Finland, Toskala is 12-2-0 with a 1.98 GAA this season - second only to Dominik Hasek - and recorded 29 saves during a 2-0 shutout win over St. Louis on Tuesday. .
With Dominik Hasek in net, Detroit (14-6-4) has won two in a row after a five-game winless slide.
Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals Total: 6 1/2
Buffalo is 5-1 when playing the second game in consecutive nights, and Miller has split time with backup goalie Martin Biron the last four times the Sabres have played back-to-backs. Biron is 9-5 with a tie, a shutout and a 2.40 goals-against average in his career against Washington, and has won his last four games against the Capitals. He is 7-1 with a 3.10 GAA overall this season.
Olaf Kolzig is 13-11 with two ties and a 2.41 GAA in his career against the Sabres.
Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators Total: 5 1/2
Goaltender Chris Mason made 38 saves to win his third straight game since taking over for starter Tomas Vokoun, who is out at least four weeks with an injured thumb suffered in a 6-0 win over Vancouver on Thanksgiving Day.
Mason, who started 20 games last season, has stopped 107 of 115 shots since replacing Vokoun against Vancouver. He made 28 saves in the most recent loss to the Blackhawks
Johan Holmqvist, Tampa Bay Lightning - Holmqvist is the probable starter for Saturday's game against the Senators, reports the Tampa Tribune. Marc Denis won't even make the trip up north - not because of performance issues but rather he hasn't gotten his work visa renewed and as such, may have problems re-entering the United States. The Lightning have thus recalled Karri Ramo to serve as Holmqvist's backup.
Ottawa -1½+135 & Ov 6½ +105
I like both plays since TB will be using their backup goalie today. 😉